Top Tips on How to Become a Great Team Player

1.Be Adaptable:

The demands of your job change all the time, so you have to be ready to roll with the punches. Job tasks change, staff changes, everything can change so be ready for it. By showing that you are adaptable, it gives you employer the sense you are ready for more responsibilities and maybe even a promotion.

2. Be Motivated

“A Leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. “ -John C. Maxwell
All jobs require creativity. You need to be able to look at problems and figure out novel ways how to solve them. As you implement these changes, it will motivate you to work harder and figure out even more challenging things.
Energy and enthusiasm are also contagious so let yours shine! Your coworkers will feel around you, and your ability to get things done together will only improve.

3. Avoid Office Drama

Every office place has politics. Something is just bound to come up, and you need to stay out of it! If one person is a gossiping about another, don’t take part in it or your name will be dragged through the mud.
Likewise, even if there is someone you absolutely cannot stand, be polite and courteous to them. This is how you rise above and show a good example to your colleagues.

4. Be a problem solver

Most people seek to avoid problems. You need to solve them. Identify issues and figure out ways to solve them. This is how you gain a reputation as a hard worker and leader. Not only this, it will motivate your team around you to work harder.

5. A sense of Humor

Even if you are working on the most important thing in the world, you need to relax a little. People don’t like tense office environments. Don’t take yourself too seriously and be fair to employees if they make a mistake.
If you are honest, respectful and strike a good balance between serious and humorous, they will love working for you and be loyal. This means they will work harder and help you in case you ever have a problem.
As a team leader, you are the first to receive praise so be sure to share it with your team. Likewise, it is easy to place the blame on someone from your position. Accept responsibility and work to make sure mistakes don’t get repeated in the future.

6. Be honest

Dishonesty breeds distrust. Be honest with everyone so that they know you are trustworthy and reliable. If you are honest, people will be more willing to openly discuss things with you.
And you will appreciate this when a particular project is having some problems. If people are afraid to trust you, you may never hear the truth either about yourself or your work.
On that note, as a leader, you need to treat others the way you want to be treated with respect and understanding. Do not talk down to anyone. Instead, make sure every person on the team knows they are valuable to you and the project.

7. Independence

Just as you want the independence to be able to make your own decisions, so too does your team. Give them room to experiment and see if they can come up with their own solutions. They just might surprise you. Along the way, offer them help but if things are going well then simply congratulate and thank them for their hard work.

8. Communication

Communication is the most important thing in any relationship. No matter how frustrated you are, you need to always speak in a calm and respectful way. Be open, honest and polite.
As a leader, you need to appreciate your team, encourage them and at times politely critique them when they make mistakes. Never yell and always encourage them to voice their opinions. They will pay you back with their respect and loyalty.

9. Be Positive

Positivity is contagious. You don’t have to walk around with a smile on your face all day, but you should project confidence and optimism about a certain project. This inspires your team to know that things will go well.
If you have a problem with a particular team member, do not call them out publicly. Ask them to speak privately, and courteously explain what the issues and discuss ways you can solve it together.
Be sure to encourage your team as well. If you are working on a large, difficult assignments, remind them that they can do it and they are especially there for their unique skills. This is how leaders show they understand the big picture and that they can work to solve any problem.

10. Risk

Life is always a gamble, and sometimes you have to take a risk. This means both trusting employees to do certain things and accepting new challenges. If you work hard, you can push through and achieve great things.

11. Having a Vision

Your team needs to see the big picture as well. Explain to them why this project is important and how each person is an essential component of it. Along the way, you need to guide and encourage to help them achieve that goal.

12. Planning

You need a clear plan and need to stick to it. Changing course midstream shows weakness and a lack of resolve. Before you do anything, build a solid plan and the steps needed to execute it.
It is impossible to completely know the future, so be adaptable, but if you planned well, you should be able to see the potential problems that may arise.

13. Have Integrity

This is what defines a true leader. Having integrity means being loyal, honest, direct and trustworthy. Your employees, coworkers, and bosses all respect integrity.
This means being honest with yourself, open to discussion and ready to gain the respect and consideration of every person you work with.